Sister Moon, Brother Earth
by Corbeaun
Summary: Usagi and Mamoru were reborn in 21st century Tokyo as fraternal twins. Orphaned early in a car accident, the two siblings struggle to make a life for themselves. Unfortunately, their normal lives are soon to be over. [in permanent hiatus]
1. Sister Moon, Brother Earth Prologue

Title: Sister Moon, Brother Earth [0/?]  
Author: Corbeau Noir  
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Drama  
Rating: PG-13  
Email: noir_corbeau@hotmail.com  
Site: www.geocities.com/corbeaun  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
This is my very first SM fanfic, so any C&C would be greatly   
appreciated. Thanks. :)  
  
Disclaimer: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon is the creation of the   
talented Naoko Takeuchi; no infringement is intended.  
  
================================================================  
  
Sister Moon, Brother Earth  
By Corbeau Noir   
  
  
Prologue  
~~~~~~~~  
  
  
His first memory was pain. Pure and undiluted, racing through   
his blood, pooling in his heart, an agony of the mind as much as of   
the flesh. But the pain tethered him to the present, kept him to the   
now, and prevented him from sinking back into the darkness that had   
claimed him for so long.  
  
He woke to the sight of white-uniformed giants looming over   
him, cold hands poking with cold blunt objects. They spoke to him   
sometimes, in a language he felt he should know but did not. After a   
while, they quit speaking to him at all and simply spoke to each   
other, tongues clucking, faces long.  
  
Gradually he picked up the language, and in doing so, picked   
up the pieces of a life he no longer remembered.  
  
They told him his name was Chiba Mamoru. That he had nearly   
died. That he was lucky to have survived at all, considering the   
extent of brain trauma that had occurred. That he was an orphan.  
  
They said a lot of things then, some of them interesting, most   
of them irrelevant, and over a remarkably short period of time, the   
boy who was Chiba Mamoru learned to shut out the noise. He could not   
bring himself to care.  
  
But one day, more people came, put him in a chair and took him   
away, to a room that looked exactly the same as his. Except there was   
someone else on that narrow hospital cot. Someone still, tiny and   
pale, someone he recognized...  
  
And then they told him.  
  
Wonder. Elation.  
  
"Sister."  
  
It was the first word he'd spoke since the darkness.   
  
No one tried to stop him when he wobbled out of the wheelchair,   
standing on his own two feet for the first time he could remember.   
Trembling, nearly tripping over the mass of wires and tubes that   
crisscrossed the entire room, he slowly approached the silent   
occupant of the hospital cot. In the background the electric pings   
and beeps of the life-support machine made harsh harmony with the   
pounding of his heart.  
  
He reached out to touch her then, her heart beating under his   
palm --- light, measured pulses that seemed to quicken as his child   
hands settled over hers. And the agony that had smouldered in his mind   
ever since he woke to find himself confused and alone in that empty   
hospital bed finally receded, leaving in its stead peace.  
  
Serenity.  
  
  
[End "Sister Moon, Brother Earth" - Prologue]  
================================================================  
Author's Notes:  
  
I apologize for the extremely short prologue, but this seems to   
be the only appropriate place to cut off. The next part will be much   
longer, I promise.  
While the relation between Usagi and Mamoru in this fic is   
extremely unorthodox, the rest of the canon SM universe will be   
preserved, meaning the continued existence of the Dark Kingdom and   
the corresponding need for Senshis. Might be interesting to see how   
this twist in blood ties, and a little nudge forward of everything in   
time, affects events. ^-^ 


	2. Sister Moon, Brother Earth Part 1

Title: Sister Moon, Brother Earth [1/?]  
Author: Corbeau Noir  
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Drama  
Rating: PG-13  
Email: noir_corbeau@hotmail.com  
Site: www.geocities.com/corbeaun  
----------------------------------------------------------------  
  
Summary:  
Usagi and Mamoru have been reborn in 21st century Tokyo as   
twins. Orphaned early on in a car accident, the two siblings   
struggled to make a life for themselves in the years past.   
Unfortunately, little do they know that their normal lives are   
soon to be over.  
  
Disclaimer:  
Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko   
Takeuchi. I'm only borrowing them, and intend to return them as   
soon as possible. Really, I promise. ::wink::  
  
================================================================  
  
Naming Conventions: I'm using the names Takeuchi-sama gave, but   
I've listed their DiC counterparts in case anyone is confused. :)  
  
Chiba Mamoru = Darien Shields  
Chiba Usagi = Serena  
Furuhata Motoki = Andrew  
Kino Makoto = Lita  
Osaka Naru = Molly Baker  
Umino Gurio = Melvin  
  
================================================================  
  
Sister Moon, Brother Earth  
By Corbeau Noir   
  
  
Part 1  
~~~~~~  
  
  
The concrete-reinforced three-story apartment building   
rose from the asphalt road before them. From a few of the   
balconies, rows of faded shirts and socks fluttered limply on   
the morning breeze like tired vestiges from a forgotten war. The   
only hint of greenery lay in the peach tree that had grown up   
against one of the windows on the second floor, unintentionally   
it almost seemed.  
  
"Well? What do you think?"  
  
Chiba Mamoru took a deep breath, and turned to smile   
politely at the old man waiting eagerly besides him. "Tanaka-san,   
it's wonderful."  
  
The older man beamed proudly, and gleefully patted   
Mamoru's arm. "No problem, no problem at all. You're just lucky   
I was there when the school phoned me." He paused then, beady   
eyes suddenly lost in the folds of his face as they narrowed in   
puzzlement. "But the school already offered you a dorm. Why   
didn't you take it?"   
  
Mamoru frowned slightly, the conversation with the head of   
the academy running through his mind. He shook off the   
unpleasant memory impatiently. "I have a sister, and the dorms   
cannot provide for us both."  
  
Mr. Tanaka nodded with approval. "It's good to see young   
people so dedicated to their family. Excellent." He made a note   
in the little black book he carried on him, capping the pen with   
a flourish as he finished. "I'll tell the academy that you'll   
take it, first thing tomorrow."  
  
Mamoru glanced over the slightly run-down building one   
more time. The room with the window against the tree, that was   
the place he'd been offered. Seemed no one wanted it, claimed   
that the tree blocked the sunlight and that in the summer the   
sweet fruit attracted insects, but the landlord was not willing   
to cut down the decades-old tree.  
  
Usa would enjoy the peaches.  
  
"Thank you, Tanaka-san."  
  
  
* * * * * *  
  
Osaka Naru, resident class busybody and all around do-  
gooder, sighed for the forth time that morning as she absently   
flipped through the pages of her notebook. Yumiko and Kuri were   
absent again, there was no one to talk to, and nothing out of   
the ordinary had happened within the last twenty-four hours.   
Naru was bored.  
  
She sighed again.  
  
"Hey, Naru! Did you hear?"  
  
She perked up immediately, and eagerly swung around to   
face the newcomer. It was Umino Gurio, otherwise known as the   
human gossip machine. Naru almost cried in relief; instead, she   
latched onto him like a leech. "What, Umino? What is it?"  
  
The boy's bright eyes peered at her through his coke-  
bottle glasses, a wide excited grin on his face. He plopped   
himself down at the empty seat opposite her and hurriedly began   
talking. "Well, it's like this. I was walking down the   
corridors this morning on my way to the newsroom, and you know   
how the editor's always ranting about how no one turns in their   
articles on time, as if we could help it," Umino snorted   
disdainfully. Naru nodded impatiently and motioned for him to go   
on. "Anyway, going down the hall. And then I saw the principal   
walking past with this girl." He paused, eyes unfocusing behind   
his glasses as a silly grin spread across his face. "I don't   
know how to describe her, but she was. Wow."  
  
Naru rolled her eyes, and inwardly sighed to herself.   
Looked like her relief was premature. But she smiled good-  
humoredly at Umino. "So she's what? Pretty?"  
  
The boy nodded enthusiastically, "Very pretty." And then   
glancing quickly around them before leaning in closer, "And I   
heard that---"  
  
At that exact moment, the teacher entered the room.   
"Everyone in their seats please," the middle-aged man announced   
loudly.  
  
The students immediately disbanded from the various   
groupings and rushed back to their respective seats. Umino also   
hurried to his desk in the front, all the while trying to tell   
her something. Unfortunately, Naru couldn't lip-read.  
  
In the next few seconds though, that proved to be   
unnecessary.  
  
"Class... I'd like to introduce a new student to you."   
And saying that, the instructor stepped aside to reveal the tiny,   
golden-haired girl who had up till then been hidden behind him.  
  
Even as Naru stared, she could hear the jaws of boys   
dropping all across the room. *Kami-sama,* Naru thought, half   
with shock, half with envy.  
  
The girl was absolutely, undeniably, drop-dead *gorgeous*.  
  
The new girl, apparently oblivious to the effect she had,   
smiled broadly and waved enthusiastically to everyone in the   
class.  
  
"Hi! I'm Chiba Usagi, pleased to meet you!"  
  
The teacher smiled benignly behind her, and clapped his   
hands together in approval. "Thank you, Miss Chiba. Now please   
take a seat next to Miss Osaka in the back there. Okay class,   
turn to page four hundred and two..."  
  
There was only the sound of rustling pages in the   
classroom as Chiba Usagi made her way down the aisles. Heads   
turned as she passed them by.  
  
*Well,* Naru thought to herself happily as she flipped   
open her Japanese Literature book, all the while sneaking   
furtive glances at the new student now settling in beside her,   
*things are finally getting interesting.*  
  
She resolved to make friends with the new girl the first   
chance she got.  
  
  
* * * * * *  
  
It was not until Home Ec that Naru was actually able to   
make good with that promise.  
  
"You know, only *you* could make cooking rice this   
difficult, Naru."  
  
Naru didn't even look up from the sink. "Not everyone can   
cook, Makoto." She tilted the pan, trying to decide if the water   
in the rice was clear enough. No, she finally decided, and   
slowly drained the clouded water from the pan. Then, carefully   
she began refilling the pan with water.  
  
Abruptly, the girl beside her, Makoto, groaned. "Oh, give   
me that." And snatched the pan of rice from her hands.  
  
Blinking, Naru watched in bemusement as the tall, brunette   
girl swished the rice around furiously and then slammed the pan   
back in front of her. "There, finished." Then Makoto turned back   
to her own pan of frying tempura.  
  
"Umm. Thanks." Naru winced on seeing a tiny crack appear   
on the pan. "I think."  
  
Makoto just humphed, intent on her frying pan.  
  
Carefully, Naru set the pan of rice boiling on the gas   
stove. Mopping her hands on a dry cloth, she turned to see how   
the rest of her classmates were doing. Many, she noted glumly,   
already had their rice cooking and their tempura frying. Even   
the new girl, Chiba Usagi, had a plate of finished golden-crisp   
tempura in front of her. But for some reason, Usagi was staring   
at the plate like it was about to bite her. A basket of   
decorative chrysanthemums lay untouched on a nearby table.  
  
Naru walked up behind her and tapped Usagi on the shoulder,   
"Your tempura looks delicious, Chiba-san."  
  
The girl swung around, her strangely-styled hair whipping   
through the air as she turned to face Naru.  
  
For a moment there was an uncomfortable silence as the new   
girl simply stared at her. Up close, Naru belated became aware   
of the pair of eyes the vibrant blue of a summer sky, of the   
spidery lines of several old scars crisscrossing one cheek.   
Fleetingly Naru wondered if she had made a big mistake --- she   
had misinterpreted the situation, this girl didn't *look* like   
she needed anyone's help...  
  
Then Usagi broke into a brilliant smile. "You're Osaka-san,   
right?"  
  
Just as abruptly, Naru became aware that she was staring.   
Flustered and more than a little embarrassed, she quickly nodded,   
"Yeah, that's right. Osaka Naru." Then she grinned back,   
regaining her bearings. "Osaka Naru, resident champion of   
babble." She bowed slightly, "Pleased ta meetcha."  
  
"Chiba Usagi." Usagi bowed back happily. "Glad to meet you   
too."  
  
At the front of the room, the teacher coughed loudly.   
"Less chitchatting and more cooking, girls," old Mrs. Yano said   
reprovingly, looking pointedly in Naru and Usagi's direction.  
  
"So..." Lips quirking into an impish grin, Usagi gestured   
toward the dish of finished but unadorned tempura. "Can you help   
me put the flowers on the food? I can never get it right."  
  
Naru beamed. "Sure, no problem," she said, and reached for   
a handful of yellow chrysanthemums from the nearby basket.  
  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"So where are you from, Usagi?" Naru asked curiously.  
  
School was finally over and the two girls had decided to   
go for a walk around downtown Tokyo. Naru watched the fronts of   
the shops as they passed, glancing discreetly every now and then   
at her strange-looking new friend.  
  
Usagi shrugged, smiling as she paused momentarily in front   
of a candy shop. "Oh here and there. All over Honshu." Suddenly   
without warning, she darted into the shop, dragging Naru along   
with her. She pointed eagerly at a big chocolate bunny behind   
the display counter. "That looks delicious! Want to buy it,   
Naru?"  
  
Naru giggled at the desperately pleading look on Usagi's   
face. "That's a really big chocolate bunny. How're you gonna to   
finish it?"  
  
Her new friend Usagi just grinned at her. "Oh, don't worry,   
appetite is *definitely* not a problem," she laughed, patting her   
stomach. Then suddenly she chanced to look up at the store clock   
and her grin died, horrified expression appearing on her face.   
"Oh no, I'm late!"  
  
And then before Naru had a chance to object, the golden-  
haired girl was pulling her out of the store and running down   
the street. "Usagi," Naru gasped, hard put to keep up with the   
other girl, weaving and dodging her way through the downtown   
Tokyo crowd. "Usagi, wait!"  
  
Then Usagi stopped so abruptly that Naru nearly collided   
into her before realizing what was going on.  
  
"Usagi," Naru called out breathlessly, bracing a hand   
against the wall, "What are you late for?"  
  
The other girl stared forlornly at glass windows of the   
building in front of them. "I was supposed to come here right   
after school."  
  
Naru glanced up at the glowing neon sign flickering on the   
building's outside wall, and then turned in surprise to Usagi,   
"The Crown Arcade? You know about this place?"  
  
The Crown Arcade was a well-frequented establishment, even   
better known ever since that nice-looking young man took over as   
manager. Most of the local kids came to the place for a well-  
deserved game of pachinko after a grueling school day, some of   
the girls just to ogle the new manager. But Usagi was new to the   
area and Naru didn't really expect her to be familiar enough   
with the neighborhood in order to know about it.  
  
One hand already on the glass doors, Usagi turned around   
and smiled sheepishly, "I don't, not really. But I do know the   
owner." She pushed into the building. "Come on, I'll introduce   
you to him if you want."  
  
Naru followed Usagi through the glass doors of the Crown   
Arcade, lingering uncertainly behind by one of the coffee tables   
as Usagi called out enthusiastically to the young man behind the   
counter, simultaneously ordering a drink for herself and Naru.   
  
The apronned young man looked up from the counter with a   
bright smile on his face. "Hey Usagi-chan, long time no see!" He   
paused, eyes briefly scanning the arcade premise. "Where's   
Mamoru-kun?"  
  
"He said he's coming straight from school. He should be   
here soon." Usagi quickly took hold of the two strawberry   
sherbets she'd ordered, and slid one across the counter where   
Naru was now seated. Motoki nodded, satisfied with the answer,   
and moved away to help some other customers.  
  
Naru grasped the icy cold beverage gratefully, drawing on   
the big pipe straw with big gulps, before turning to look   
questioningly at her companion. "Mamoru-kun...?"  
  
"My twin brother. First-year high, same as us."  
  
She perked up. "Twin?" In her mind, she was already   
visualizing a male version of Usagi. But one small detail nagged   
her. "But why isn't he in the same school as us?"  
  
Usagi grinned proudly at her. "That's because Oniichan got   
accepted into Moto Azabu High!"  
  
Naru's eyes widened in surprise. "Isn't that the elite   
school for geniuses?" She whistled admiringly, "Only the best   
get to pass the entrance exams. Your brother must be brilliant."  
  
"I know." For a brief moment, a small odd smile tugged   
down at the edges of Usagi's mouth. But before Naru could have a   
chance to ferret out a reason for that strange reaction, Usagi   
leapt out of her seat, waving enthusiastically at someone from   
across the room. "Oh, there he is! Over here, Oniichan!"  
  
Naru turned, fully expecting to see a slim blonde haired,   
blue-eyed boy, when instead she got Chiba Mamoru. She stared.   
The greeting on her lips died a quick death, and for all of   
thirty seconds Osaka Naru, self-proclaimed champion of babble,   
lost all capabilities of speech. Tall, dark-haired, and good-  
looking, Chiba Mamoru stood resplendent in his school uniform,   
schoolbag slung casually over one shoulder.  
  
"I'm sorry. Was I late?"  
  
The distinctive warm baritone oozed through her insides,   
leaving her all warm and gooey. Naru's eyes grew even wider and   
she blushed. She heard her heart thump hard once in ecstatic   
glee.  
  
Mamoru leaned over to greet his sister. Usagi's face   
softened into a warm smile, as she returned the hug. "That's all   
right, Oniichan. We just got here too."  
  
"I see. That's good."  
  
*He's Mamoru?* Naru wondered, as her hormones took a   
breather long enough for some of her mental capabilities to   
return. *Funny, Usagi-chan and this brother of hers don't look   
at all alike. Admittedly, they're both gorgeous, but still...*  
  
"Oniichan, this is my friend Osaka Naru."  
  
"Pleased to meet you," he said, bowing slightly in   
greeting. "I'm glad Usa's made a friend already." He smiled at   
her.  
  
And all rational thought fled Naru's head.  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
The boisterous redhead looked one last time over her   
shoulder, grinned at Mamoru and gave a small wave before turning   
to disappear into the crowds. A half-perplexed expression on his   
face, Mamoru tentatively returned the gesture.  
  
Usagi's eyebrow twitched slightly. She felt...she wasn't   
quite sure *what* she felt. It was strange though to watch her   
new friend, the one who had seemed so confident and sensible, be   
reduced to a blushing, stammering mess by only one smile from   
her brother.  
  
Halfway home, when the downtown Tokyo crowd had been left   
behind and there was no one else but the two of them on the   
streets, Usagi finally broke the silence they had fallen into.   
She glanced thoughtfully over at Mamoru walking quietly beside   
her.  
  
"You know... I think she likes you."  
  
"Who?" Mamoru blinked at her, visibly startled by this   
sudden remark.  
  
She kept her face resolutely forward, walking steadily   
ahead. "Naru, of course."  
  
There was a pause. Then, "Your red-headed friend?"  
  
Usagi tried to look nonchalant, determined not to meet   
Mamoru's curious gaze. "Um-hmm." The cement sidewalk and the   
tops of her shoes suddenly captured her complete attention.  
  
For a while, a period of silence stretched awkwardly   
between them as they walked.  
  
"Usa?" Mamoru finally asked, voice faintly amused. Usagi   
could not bring herself to meet his eyes.  
  
"What."  
  
"Are you...jealous?"  
  
Usagi stumbled and whipped her head up to stare at him,   
incredulous. "Huh?! No way!" She pointed an indignant finger at   
her brother. "That is the most egotistical, ridiculous idea..."   
Usagi flushed and swallowed uncomfortably, the rest of the   
sentence trailing off.  
  
Mamoru just looked at her thoughtfully. The silence grew   
heavier.  
  
Usagi ducked her head down, furiously willing her blush to   
fade. Finally in a small voice, "Okay, well, maybe just a   
little," she admitted, not able to meet his eyes. She waited   
nervously for his reaction.  
  
Mamoru chuckled.  
  
She raised her head to glare at him. "What's so funny?"   
she demanded heatedly, feeling the blood rushing back to her   
face with a vengeance.   
  
He raised his hands placatingly. "Nothing, nothing." But a   
smile still dimpled one cheek.  
  
"Argh, fine!" She rolled her eyes irritably. "Should've   
known you would be like this," and turned to go in a huff.  
  
His hand caught hers.  
  
Usagi twisted around to yell at him, but his face was   
solemn now, without even a trace of his previous mirth. His   
brilliant blue eyes were focused intently on her.  
  
"There's no reason to be, you know that," he murmured,   
voice quiet and utterly serious.  
  
Usagi's eyes flickered briefly to their clasped hands, and   
smiled softly. "I know."  
  
They continued walking home hand in hand, the silence   
comfortable between them.  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
A scrawny black street cat watched from underneath a bush,   
blinking its cinnamon brown eyes as it stared past the leaves   
and concrete, to the two humans walking slowly down the street   
toward it. When the humans turned a corner and disappeared, the   
cat turned tail and quickly began running back to where it'd   
come.  
  
Overhead, the crescent moon began a slow rise into the   
dimming sky.  
  
  
  
[End "Sister Moon, Brother Earth" - Part 1]  
================================================================  
Author's Notes:  
  
Whew, finally finished. I think I'll keep this version of Part 1;   
I'm almost dreading the work on Part 2. This multi-part business   
is hard. ^^;;  
  
Feedback needed, please, to keep this fanfic author sane. *^-^*  
  
--------------------------  
noir_corbeau@hotmail.com   
www.geocities.com/corbeaun  
--------------------------  
================================================================  
Completed: 8/12/02 


	3. Sister Moon, Brother Earth Part 2

Title: Sister Moon, Brother Earth [2/?]  
Author: Corbeau Noir  
Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Drama  
Rating: PG-13  
Email: noir_corbeau@hotmail.com  
Site: www.geocities.com/corbeaun  
  
Disclaimer: Bishoujou Senshi Sailor Moon was created by   
Naoko Takeuchi.  
  
===========================================================  
  
"Hanami" - In Japan this is the custom of observing cherry   
blossoms in the spring, which today usually includes a   
nationwide outdoor picnic every April. Once only a pursuit   
of the educated upper-class, sakura-viewing is now an   
extremely popular festival for everyone in the country.  
  
===========================================================  
  
Sister Moon, Brother Earth  
by Corbeau Noir  
  
  
Part 2  
~~~~~~  
  
  
"Where is the --"  
  
"Lower shelf, beside the rice."  
  
Mamoru watched from his perch by the kitchen counter   
as Usagi disappeared beneath the cabinet, then popped back   
up again moments later slightly disheveled but with the jar   
secured in her grasp. She laid it carefully beside the sink,   
before turning to him again.  
  
"Now where --"  
  
"Third door, behind the towel rack."  
  
Usagi pursed her lips, rummaged through a few boxes   
before triumphantly emerging with a red, slightly chipped   
bento box. She laid that too beside the sink, and then   
proudly stood back to survey the assortment of condiments   
and containers now lined neatly on the tiled counter.  
  
Mamoru watched the scene dubiously. "Are you sure you   
don't want any help?"  
  
She waved a hand at him in exasperation. "Yes, yes,   
I'm sure. Now just stay put." Usagi set a pot of water   
simmering on the stove, humming softly to herself all the   
while. Suddenly, she frowned and turned to shake the frying   
pan at him threateningly, "You're coming next week, right?   
To my school's hanami?"  
  
"Wouldn't miss it for the world." He cocked a grin at   
her.  
  
"You better not," Usagi warned with only a half-  
teasing smile, and turned to dump a plate of finely minced   
beef into the pot. "Oh, and Onniichan?" she added casually,   
"Bring Motoki along too."  
  
"As long as you remember he has a girlfriend," Mamoru   
murmured, surreptitiously eyeing the pot bubbling on the   
stove in front of Usagi.  
  
Usagi paused in the midst of stirring to stick her   
tongue out at him. "The path of true love has no   
boundaries," she said, affecting a haughty air.  
  
He tore his eyes away from the now ominously rumbling   
pot. "Usa, a girlfriend is *not* a boundary."  
  
Usagi grinned at him, a twinkle in her eye. "Fine, a   
challenge then."  
  
Mamoru only sighed in fond exasperation, watching   
affectionately as his sister bustled about in their tiny   
kitchen preparing for their evening meal. When Usagi   
finally took the pot of nondescript brown mush off the   
stove and brought it past him, he eyed it warily. The   
unmistakable odor of burnt curry wafted to his nose and   
Mamoru reached instinctively toward it.  
  
"Usa, maybe I should --"  
  
She slapped his hand away hard. "No. Whatever it is,   
just no. This is my food. You will not touch it, add to it,   
or in any way or form have *anything* to do with it before   
it comes in contact with your mouth, oh say, an hour from   
now." She glowered hard at him for emphasis, "Understood,   
Oniichan?"  
  
His lips twitched in what looked suspiciously like a   
smile, but when Usagi watched closely a moment later after   
putting the pot in the sink to cool, the face Mamoru turned   
to her was the epitome of solemnity. He bowed low.  
  
"I live to serve, Usa-hime."  
  
The shout of indignant laughter rang out in the late   
evening air, followed closely by the familiar sound of a   
young man's chuckles.  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Now class, you're all preparing for the hanami,   
right? We don't want anything last minute now, do we? It   
must be perfect!" Old Mrs. Yano beamed, looking at the   
entire class. "And as every good Japanese cook knows, the   
packaging is just as, if not more important than what's   
inside."  
  
Abruptly, Mrs. Yano frowned, only then noticing the   
empty seat beside Naru. "Is Kino Makoto absent today?" she   
asked.  
  
The girl in front of Naru, Yumiko, raised her hand   
timidly. "Ah, sensei, she was here during homeroom."  
  
Mrs. Yano pursed her lips in displeasure and   
brusquely made a mark in her folder. "Delinquents," she   
muttered under her breath. "It gets worse every year."  
  
She laid the folder back on her desk, and flicked on   
the slide show. A picture of a rice ball with a sprig of   
parsley appeared on the blank wall of the Home Ec room.  
  
"Ah, as I was saying, the aesthetic is extremely   
important when cooking." She clicked again and the picture   
on the wall changed to that of a bowl of miso with blocks   
of tofu stacked symmetrically within. "Not only does the   
food have to taste good in the mouth, it must also appear   
lovely to the eye. Presentation," Mrs. Yano jabbed her   
finger emphatically in the air, "is the key!"  
  
"Now," she looked around the quiet room, "who would   
like to collect flowers for the class."  
  
Usagi's hand shot up in the air.  
  
"Ah, the new student, Chiba." She gestured to the   
plastic pail hanging on a peg beside the door. "Go take   
that and come back in twenty minutes. Oh, and I truly   
appreciate you willingness to sacrifice your time at   
decorating for the class."  
  
Naru coughed and Usagi smiled sweetly.  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
There were some truly beautiful blossoms on the   
cherry trees behind the fence, around the old shed.   
Surreptitiously checking to make sure no one around, she   
quickly squeezed herself through a gap in the wooden fence.  
  
The shed was rusted over, and paint flaked off from   
the sides. Usagi grimaced as she stepped carefully over the   
rusted nails on the grass, stooping down ever once and a   
while to pick a perfectly shaped petal off the ground.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
Startled, Usagi jumped to her feet, turning just in   
time to see a tall forbidding girl emerge from behind one   
of the surrounding trees. She vaguely remembered seeing the   
girl in her class before. "Oh, I didn't mean to disturb   
you." Usagi held up the half-full pail sheepishly. "I was   
just filling this for an assignment."  
  
The other girl stared hard at her for a long moment.   
Usagi fidgeted awkwardly. Then abruptly, as if not finding   
what she was looking for, the tall girl shouldered her way   
past the smaller Usagi; Usagi's nose wrinkled a little as   
she caught the distinctive smell of tobacco from the other   
girl.  
  
Later, after Home Ec was over and everyone walked   
back to the classroom, Usagi saw the strange girl from   
before already seated in a desk in the corner. She nudged   
Naru and asked, "Who is she?"  
  
Naru glanced curiously in the direction Usagi was   
pointing. "Oh, that's Makoto."  
  
"Makoto?"  
  
Naru nodded gravely. "Yeah, Makoto's one of those   
independent types. She lives by herself in an apartment   
downtown. I think her only joy in the world is cooking. Or   
at least," Naru cocked her head thoughtfully, "she only   
smiles while there's uncooked food lying around."  
  
A short pig-tailed girl, Kuri, appeared suddenly by   
Usagi's desk, "Don't go near her, Usagi," Kuri warned,   
"She's mellowed out the past few years, but when she was in   
junior high, she was an ogre! Always picking fights..."  
  
"But she really has mellowed these years," Yumiko   
protested, leaning over her chair to Usagi's desk. "Almost   
like a different person. I wonder what happened," she added   
bemusedly.  
  
The next day, between classes, Usagi noticed the gap   
in the fence. She remembered the tall brunette from   
yesterday, and on a sudden impulse, she squeezed through   
the wooden boards to the other side. But to her   
disappointment, the other girl was not there.  
  
"Hey, you're not supposed to be here," a rough voice   
came from behind.  
  
Usagi stumbled back in surprise, only to collide   
against someone's chest. A hand caught her by the waist,   
and spun her around. She broke out from the grip, and   
stared apprehensively at the two scruffy teenage boys, one   
big, the other skinny, now standing in front of her. She   
slowly inched back toward the gap in the fence. "Gomen, I   
didn't realize I was intruding."  
  
A glint of recognition suddenly appeared in the   
bigger boy's eyes. One hand slammed against the shed beside   
her, blocking her retreat. "He-e-e-y..." he drawled,   
"Aren't you that new girl? The one everyone's talking   
about."  
  
She tried to dodge out from beneath his arm.   
"I don't --"  
  
The skinny boy grinned, walking up to where the other   
boy had trapped her. "C'mon, let's see that pretty face of   
yours." He grabbed her roughly by the chin.  
  
Usagi yanked her face out of his grasp, and glared   
furiously at both of them, "Don't touch me."  
  
But before she could shout again, the bigger boy   
grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms to her sides.   
Panic suddenly thrashed through her body. "What are you   
doing?!" she cried, twisting desperately in the boy's grip.   
"Let me go!"  
  
Grinning, the skinny boy stuck his face right in   
front of hers. "Hey, hey, just looking." She glowered at   
him, eyes bright with fury and panic, and he laughed. "But,   
whew," he stared at the mesh of scars on her left cheek,   
raising a finger to trace the lines, "looks like someone   
already roughed you up real bad before."  
  
Usagi finally twisted an arm from the other boy's   
clutch, and hit the skinny boy's hand away from her face.   
"I said get your hands off me!"  
  
The skinny boy grinned, rubbing at the hand she'd   
slapped. "So-o-o-o...You like it rough, huh?" he said   
gleefully, reaching for her once again.  
  
This time she didn't bother saying anything, and   
instead drove her free elbow behind her hard into the other   
boy's stomach.  
  
The bigger boy yelped, and tossed her to the ground.   
"Itachi!" he spat at her, holding a hand to his side, and   
took an angry step toward her. Usagi grew cold at the look   
on his face, and she frantically tried to get up from the   
ground.  
  
"What are you guys doing?"  
  
Both boys stiffened, whipped around to face the   
speaker, then relaxed immediately upon recognizing the   
newcomer. Usagi froze on the ground when she saw who it was.  
  
The bigger boy affected an air of boredom and drawled,   
"Oh, it's only you."  
  
"Heard you finally decided to act like a real woman,   
Makoto." The skinny boy leered at the brown-haired girl,   
"What, you want a boyfriend?"  
  
"Never knew you were interested, Ichiro-kun." Then   
her voice flattened. "You two are on my turf, and you both   
know how much I love trespassers."  
  
The skinny boy laughed. "Back off, *Makoto-chan*," he   
smirked, purposefully using the insulting diminutive.   
"You've gotten soft, and I ain't never gonna take orders   
from a girl." He nodded at the bigger boy, and the bigger   
boy nodded back and took a menacing step toward the tall   
brunette.  
  
It happened so fast, Usagi barely saw it; the big boy   
was suddenly on the ground clutching his face, blood   
running between his fingers. The skinny boy squeaked.  
  
Makoto lowered her fist and calmly smoothed out the   
skirt of her sailor fuku. "Get out."  
  
The two boys scrambled up, nearly tripping over their   
own feet in their haste, and quickly disappeared into the   
bushes behind the shed.  
  
Usagi lay wordless on the ground beneath the cherry   
tree. The tall emerald-eyed girl only glanced at her once   
without saying anything, and then walked away.  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
Naru stared at Usagi. "Why do you want to know where   
she sits for lunch?" she asked.  
  
Kuri rolled her eyes in exasperation, "Usagi, didn't   
you hear me when I said she's a troublemaker?"  
  
Usagi frowned a little, unconsciously gripped the   
edges of her bento box, "She can't be as frightening as you   
say."  
  
"Oh, of course not," Kuri smiled. "She's worse."  
  
Suddenly, Naru started, "Hey, Usagi, where're you   
going?"  
  
The golden-haired girl waved back reassuringly from   
where she'd walked a few feet away. "Don't worry, Naru, you   
guys go on without me." She ducked under a low branch, and   
then called back, "I'll just have lunch over here today."  
  
An alarmed look on her face, Naru cried out, "You're   
not...?!"  
  
But as Usagi's tiny figure disappeared into the   
undergrowth, it became apparent. Kuri groaned faintly in   
horror, "...oh, kami help us, she *is*..."  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
It wasn't too hard to find the other girl. Even   
seated among the tall uncut grass, her hair gleamed like   
burnished copper under the sunlight that streamed through   
the leafy branches of the trees overhead. The girl looked   
up in surprise as Usagi seated herself calmly on the grass   
beside her.  
  
"It's a beautiful day, don't you think?" Usagi asked   
her amiably.  
  
Makoto only stared at her, and shook her head in   
bemusement. "What are you doing?" she finally growled.  
  
Usagi blinked innocently at her. "I'm having lunch,"   
she replied simply, and as if to illustrate just that, she   
slid a pair of chopsticks from her red bento box.  
  
Makoto glared at her. "As I'm sure your little   
friends told you, I'm not a very nice person."  
  
Usagi only smiled cheerfully. "'Nice' is overrated,   
don't you think?" she asked all too casually.  
  
Makoto snorted disbelievingly at that.  
  
"And besides, I believe they also said you breathed   
fire and could take down forty grown men with both hands   
behind your back and a leg behind your ear."  
  
Surprised, Makoto let out a short bark of laughter   
before she could stop herself. "Fine," she said, irritated   
at having a reaction drawn from her, "Eat here if you want;   
I'm outta here." She stood up to leave.   
  
Usagi lurched from her seat, grabbing her by the arm.   
"No, please, I--" The tall brunette looked down at her, and   
Usagi flushed, hastily letting go of her arm. But her voice   
was composed and steady when she spoke. "I wanted to thank   
you," she said quietly, "for what happened back there."  
  
At that, a strange expression passed over the   
Makoto's previously stoic face, and she murmured, "Don't   
thank me; I didn't do it for you." Her lips quirked into a   
small mocking smile. "It had nothing to do with you."  
  
Usagi blinked, startled at seeing a familiar lost   
look in the other girl's eyes, a look that she'd seen more   
than once in her brother's eyes and her own in the mirror.   
"You have my gratitude," she finally said earnestly, "no   
matter who you did it for." And then Usagi bowed briskly.   
"I'm sorry to have intruded. Please continue your lunch."  
  
Makoto watched her go without comment, not stirring   
until the other girl's golden head had disappeared   
completely into the foliage. And then she sat back down on   
the grass and sighed quietly to herself.  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
Walking up the stairs with an armful of books, Mamoru   
nearly tripped over the tiny black body in the front of his   
apartment building. "Hey kitty, where did you come from?"   
he said, using one hand to unlock his apartment door.  
  
The cat ambled toward the open door.  
  
Mamoru quickly blocked the doorway with his body, "Oh   
no, sorry, you can't go in, no animals allowed."  
  
The cat imperiously ignored him and slinked in   
between his legs and into the building.  
  
"Hey!" Mamoru called out in protest, and quickly   
hurried after it. He dropped his books on the kitchen   
counter and turned to find the cat making itself home on   
the matted green cushions of the old couch. The feline only   
blinked at him when he tried to shoo it away. Finally, he   
sighed and sank down on the couch beside the cat.  
  
"What will I do with you? We can't keep you." His   
fingers ruffled through the short black fur. "I guess we'll   
just have to see after Usa gets back from her hanami   
preparations."  
  
The cat arched against his hand and purred.  
  
  
  
[End "Sister Moon, Brother Earth" - Part 2]  
===========================================================  
Author's Notes:  
  
Woah...Part 2 did *not* go the way I thought it would.   
It was as if Makoto just grabbed the keyboard and took off.   
Her character is coming out stronger than expected; that's   
not really a bad thing, though, just unexpected. I wonder   
what will happen when I get to Rei...  
  
Part 3 is already partly written (two pages anyway)   
and Mamoru will finally be getting some spotlight. Until   
then, ja!  
  
Feedback will be loved, snuggled, and returned with lots   
and lots of gratitude.  
  
--------------------------  
noir_corbeau@hotmail.com   
www.geocities.com/corbeaun  
--------------------------  
===========================================================  
10.5.02 


	4. Sister Moon, Brother Earth Part 3

Title: Sister Moon, Brother Earth [3/?]

Author: Corbeau Noir

Genre: AU, Action/Adventure, Drama

Rating: PG-13

Email: noircorbeauhotmail.com

Disclaimer: Bishoujou Senshi Sailor Moon was created by Naoko Takeuchi.

* * *

Naming Conventions: I'm using the names Takeuchi-sama gave, but I've listed their DiC counterparts in case anyone is confused :)  
  
Chiba Mamoru = Darien Shields 

Chiba Usagi = Serena

Furuhata Motoki = Andrew

Aino Minako = Mina or Sailor V or Sailor Venus

* * *

**Sister Moon, Brother Earth**

by Corbeau Noir  
  
**Part 3**   
  
Sometime around lunch a slightly grungy-looking young man plopped down at their table. "Yo, Motoki," he greeted cheerfully, "wanna go downtown with us tonight?"  
  
"Sorry, Taku, no can do." Motoki smiled over his bento. "Reika and I have plans."  
  
"Ah," Taku grinned back in an understanding common to all guys, no matter what culture they're in. He noticed Mamoru and tapped him on shoulder. "Hey, what about you, Chiba? You don't have some girlfriend, right?" Taku wiggled his eyebrows lecherously, "We'll be checking out some hot chicks."  
  
Mamoru didn't even look up from his book. "I'm busy."  
  
"You can spare a few hours from work. C'mon, you'll have fun, I promise."  
  
Mamoru pointedly flipped another page. Taku frowned.  
  
Ever the peacekeeper, Motoki slung an arm good-naturedly around Taku's shoulders. "Ah, you're getting it all wrong, man," he began jokingly, "Mamoru here doesn't want to go with you not because he has work, but because Usagi-chan is waiting for him. And between you and her," Motoki grinned, poking Taku in his slightly protruding beer-belly, "I can't blame him."  
  
Taku scratched his stomach idly, and studied Mamoru, "Is she your sister?"  
  
"Yep," Motoki cheerfully answered for his friend who was still pointedly not answering.  
  
Taku's narrowed his eyes angrily at the continued insult. "Hey, you know, no problem. I saw her last time, she's that hot little thing with the two buns, right?" He smirked when Mamoru finally looked up. "Bring her along."  
  
Motoki's grin faltered. "Um, Taku..." He nervously eyed Mamoru's stony expression. "Eh, maybe you didn't know this-"  
  
Mamoru stared down at the other boy. "Hot. Little. Thing," he repeated flatly. "With two buns."  
  
"Hey, is that an echo here?" Taku asked in pretend joviality. "Yeah, of course she's hot. I mean, it's understandable you never noticed since you're her brother and all." He pretended to look Mamoru over. "Or maybe you do."  
  
Mamoru went deadly pale. Like a man struck by a terrible revelation that he had secretly known all along.  
  
Motoki watched in horror. "Mamoru..." he whispered, not wanting to understand.  
  
Taku saw he had drawn blood and bared his teeth in a grin. "So bring her, 'cause the guys would just eat her up." He winked slyly, as though at a fellow conspirator. "Maybe if you're lucky, you'll even get to share the action."  
  
Mamoru lurched toward the other man, and Motoki suddenly found himself able to move again; he leapt to his feet to snag Mamoru's arm. "No! Mamoru, it's not worth-" He was flung brusquely aside. Black flashed before his eyes.  
  
There was sudden shouting from around him, the stampede of feet as people rushed past him, a boy crying from ahead, "Chiba-senpai's gone crazy!"  
  
Then someone touched him, helping him to sit up on the cement. "Furuhata! What on earth- Are you okay?" Motoki groaned, vision slowly returning. He jerked in pain when he tried to move his arms, and hissed through his teeth when he saw blood. The girl - she had an incongruously bright red bow in her hair, Motoki noted - frowned and stood up, looking disapprovingly at the raucous crowd behind them. "I'm getting the teacher-"  
  
"What is the meaning of this?" A voice suddenly thundered over the roiling dining area. "Chiba! Taku! In my office NOW!"  
  
Silence and then a scuffle of hundreds of feet as dozens of students suddenly dispersed. Motoki held his arms carefully to his side and peered between the moving bodies to try to find his friend.  
  
His view was blocked as the girl with the bright red bow crouched back down by him. "Come on," she muttered, securing her arms around his waist and making sure she didn't touch his arms. "I'll get you to the infirmary."  
  
As he was slowly led off, he caught a glimpse of Mamoru walking away behind the principal with his jaws clenched and hands still in two tight fists.  
  
The school day was nearly over by the time Mamoru came to see him at the infirmary. The pretty girl who'd brought him in had long left and the nurse was nearly ready to let him go.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Motoki, relieved to see his friend, leaned back in the cot and smiled. "Hey yourself."  
  
Mamoru didn't smile back, just put the bento box and books Motoki had forgotten all about on the table beside the cot and then he sat down in the chair. They looked at each other silently for a long minute.  
  
"Hey, thanks for the stuff," Motoki said awkwardly. "I entirely forgot about them when Aino-san brought me here...er."  
  
There was another uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Um," Motoki suddenly thought of Mamoru's training and that cold blind rage. "You didn't, uh, actually _kill_ him...did you?" He was only half-joking.  
  
Mamoru leaned back in the chair with a grimace. "Just barely." His bandaged knuckles brushed against the knee of his scuffed pants.  
  
The awkward silence returned. Finally, Motoki sighed, carefully sitting up from the infirmary cot. "Look, Mamoru, it was an accident. Taku is a moron." He resolutely did not think of that terrible self-realization he had seen in Mamoru's eyes. He turned away from Mamoru's gaze. "Don't worry about it."  
  
Mamoru closed his eyes briefly, lips drawn thin in his face. He got up to leave. "I need to pick up Usa," he said quietly. "Take care, Motoki."  
  
Motoki nodded, and tried not to think too hard about anything at all.

[End "Sister Moon, Brother Earth" - Part 3]

* * *

Author's Notes:  
  
Wow, it's been a long time since I updated. I've obviously moved on to other fandoms outside Sailor Moon, but this series makes me nostalgic every time (it was my first real fanfiction story) and I definitely plan on finishing it someday. Bits and pieces of this story are stored all over my hard-drive, and I'm really looking forward to when Usagi and Mamoru find out the 'reason' for their feelings.  
  
I apologize for this short chapter, but I figured better some than never.  
  
noircorbeauhotmail.com

* * *

6.11.04 


	5. Sister Moon, Brother Earth Interlude 1

The giant tree towers over them, its canopy of leaves blocking the sun and casting a mottled pattern of gray and gold upon the moss covered ground. The boy turns to the girl lying beside him under the tree's arching roots, and reaches to take her hand in his.  
  
"Look," he whispers, pointing out a brilliant ruby-and-amber butterfly that has landed briefly on a low branch only a hairsbreadth away.  
  
The girl watches in silent wide-eyed wonder as her companion gently coaxes the tiny bejeweled creature onto her hand. The boy smiles at her as the butterfly flutters once, twice, brushes past her cheek and then flies away, disappearing into the leafy green sky overhead.  
  
"So beautiful," the girl whispers, eyes following the butterfly, hands intertwined with the boy's.  
  
The boy watches her. "Yes," he finally says, voice soft and reverent.  
  
"Beautiful."

* * *

Sister Moon, Brother Earth

by Corbeau Noir  
  
_Interlude_**  
**

* * *

Tanaka Sayuri muttered crossly under her breath as the two heavy shopping bags started slipping from her arms for the fifth time that hour. Jostling a precariously tipping radish back into place, she was startled when a hand suddenly reached out and took one of the bags from her. About to cry out in protest of the unexpected theft, she stopped when the stranger's face abruptly registered.  
  
"Chiba-san," she smiled, gratefully acknowledging the help of her attractive young neighbor. Coyly, she tossed back her head so that her newly permed hair sprang appealingly around her face.  
  
Chiba Mamoru smiled back at her, one arm full of heavy, nondescript textbooks and the other full of her groceries. "Is all of this for tonight's dinner, Tanaka-san?" he inquired curiously, arching an eyebrow at the two fully packed bags.  
  
The young Ms. Tanaka grimaced slightly. "Good heavens, no," she said, transferring the remaining bag to her left arm before rummaging blindly through her purse for the apartment keys. "If I'm lucky, this shopping will last me another week." She glanced back at her neighbor. "Were you returning from the library, Chiba-san?" she asked, nodding at the books in his arms.  
  
The young man shook his head, shifting the weight in his arms. "No, I've just come back from a tutoring session."  
  
Sayuri looked up from her purse, surprised. "What, another job?" she asked in dismay.  
  
Chiba only smiled politely without comment.  
  
Finally opening her apartment door, she turned to take the second bag from the man waiting patiently behind her, then paused. "Chiba-san," she began hesitantly, color rising to her cheeks.  
  
Chiba turned to look at her curiously from behind the two shopping bags. His brilliant blue eyes were attentive on hers, but she caught the quick, almost imperceptible glance toward the building just down the hall. Sayuri was abruptly reminded of who lived with him, and the timid offer of dinner died unvoiced on her lips.  
  
Quickly taking both bags from him back into her arms, she glanced askance at him and inquired with forced casualness, "So how is Usagi nowadays?"  
  
The question brought a strange, unreadable expression to Chiba's face. "Fine," he replied curtly.  
  
Sayuri frowned, and was about to inquire closer, but then thought better of it after taking a look at the closed expression on Chiba's normally amiable face. "Well." There was an awkward pause. "Thank you for your help, Chiba-san," she finally said, and bowed briskly to the young man standing politely outside her door.  
  
Chiba bowed back, "No problem, Tanaka-san," and with a polite smile, turned from her and walked down the hall to his own building.  
  
Sayuri closed the door softly behind him, groceries in her arms and a regretful frown on her face. Truly, she thought ruefully to herself as she moved to place the food in the fridge, it was hard to find another person as dedicated to family as Chiba Mamoru was.  
  
Mamoru stepped into the tiny apartment building, carefully closing the door behind him. The place was eerily silent and dark, with none of the lights turned on even though outside, past the heavily curtained windows, the city of Tokyo blazed with neon-colored light.  
  
Brows drawing together in concern, Mamoru flipped on a light-switch.  
  
The living room instantly flooded with light, illuminating a lump on the sofa that slowly stirred to reveal the drowsy face of a young girl. She sat up immediately at the sight of Mamoru. "'niichan," she greeted gladly, automatically reaching for the well-worn crutches leaning against the sofa.  
  
Mamoru was already at her side, a hand on her arm to prevent any further movement. "You should be in bed, Usa," he said, a frown on his face.  
  
Usagi looked pointedly past him to the front door through which he had entered just seconds before.  
  
Mamoru followed her gaze and then sighed heavily. He sat down carefully beside her on the sofa. "I'm sorry about tonight, I was called up unexpectedly. But Usa," he leaned in, grasped her hand in his, "Please don't wait up for me again. You need to rest."  
  
"You need to rest too," she retorted. Then suddenly she stared down at where her hand lay in his, unable to meet his eyes. "Besides, I couldn't sleep."  
  
Mamoru frowned. "Is something wrong, is the pain coming back?"  
  
"No." She turned away from him.  
  
"Usa?" He watched her in concern. "Please, tell me what's wrong."  
  
She shook her head, still refusing to meet his eyes, her unbound hair falling over her shoulders, obscuring her face. Her hand curled into a fist inside his. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was almost too low to be heard.  
  
"How can I possibly rest when you're out there?"  
  
Mamoru froze. "Usa..."  
  
"No!" She snatched her hand from his. "You wouldn't have to work day and night if it wasn't for me. It's all because of me. Me and these - these things!" She gestured in disgust at the crutches, at the legs lying twisted and immobile beneath the blanket. With a low moan, she buried her face in her hands.  
  
"Usa," he said quietly, "That's not true." He reached out and gently drew her hands away from her face. "I'm doing this for myself too, you know."  
  
Usagi laughed shortly, shaking off his hands. "Yes, because you care about me." She rubbed fiercely at her eyes. "We've heard that argument before, 'niichan."  
  
"Yes," Mamoru conceded willingly. "But that doesn't make it any less true."  
  
She looked up at him then, saw the utterly solemn smile on his face and abruptly all the anger and tension drained away. With a strangled sob, she slumped against him, burying her face against his shoulder. "But you always say that too," her voice heavy and low, "And I can never help you."  
  
Mamoru's arms were around her, pulling her close, holding her tight. He touched her lightly then, his lips brushing away the tears that had slipped past her eyes, an unspoken plea for understanding.  
  
"But you do."  
  
Usagi trembled at his touch, but otherwise remained silent. Mamoru pulled back slightly at the pressure of her hands against his chest.  
  
"You should get some rest, 'niichan," she finally murmured, her eyes not meeting his. "You have class in the morning."  
  
Mamoru nodded slowly and released her reluctantly from his arms. He put a hand out to stop her as she reached once more for the crutches. Usagi made a half-hearted attempt to object, but soon subsided without any further protests as he gently picked her up in his arms and carried her from the living room to their shared bed.  
  
A skinny black street cat crouched on a tree branch near the window, whiskers quivering as it stared into the tiny apartment building behind the windowpane. Its concentration was intense and unwavering, and not even the erratic fluttering of moths against a nearby street lamp could draw out that feline fickleness. Eventually, the light coming from the apartment dimmed, and the two humans disappeared together in the darkness, but outside the pair of gleaming amber eyes remained ever watchful and vigilant.  
  
The cat's silent vigil continued long after the sliver of a moon had set over the city of Tokyo.  
  
[end "Sister Moon, Brother Earth" - Interlude]

* * *

Author's Notes: 

For those of you who actually remember reading this, I would like to say thank you for being with this story for so many years (arigato mina). This Interlude originally served as Part 1. I'm reposting this now as a look back on Usagi and Mamoru's life together before the start of events in Part 1. I'll probably be following this up with other interludes as I try to draw the Senshis together in the main story. Usagi's crippled legs are a result of that childhood car accident and how she came to walk without those crutches...Well, maybe I'll show you in the next interlude. :)


	6. Sister Moon, Brother Earth Part 4

**Sister Moon, Brother Earth**

by Corbeau Noir

_Part 4_

* * *

The past few evenings Mamoru had been coming home much too late. At first Usagi didn't worry too much: Mamoru's paid tutoring job at the after-school academy had just started and he often stayed after hours for the remarkable number of students who wanted to progress even further in the lesson. That the group was mostly female, Usagi was not at all surprised to learn. 

One morning, as the two of them did their daily ritual of clearing the bedroom into a living room, he suddenly said, "We should buy another futon."

Distracted, Usagi turned from folding the blankets and frowned at him. "Don't be silly, 'niichan - You know we can't afford it."

Mamoru didn't look at her and instead busied himself shoving their shared futon into the closet. "I took Hino-san's private tutoring offer. Money won't be a problem."

Usagi was momentarily startled into silence and she stared as Mamoru wrestled with the jammed closet door. "But you said..." her voice trailed off and Mamoru didn't fill the silence. "You know," she finally continued, "it's not the Classics she's interested in."

He slammed the closet door harder than necessary. "I'm not a fool, Usagi. I can take care of myself. Besides," he turned his face away from hers, "her name is Rei."

She blinked. "I see." And she did - she understood entirely. The long nights, the countless dinners growing cold in the kitchen, the mornings when she woke up and didn't see his face beside hers. Her face felt too stiff but she managed to smile as she asked, "Will you take me to see her sometime?"

Mamoru finally turned to look at her then, blue eyes shadowed. "Usagi. Are you," he hesitated, shame and something darker coloring his voice. "Are you...alright with this?"

"Yes, why shouldn't I be?" She stood up and briskly dusted off her skirt. "Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes. Please open the window for Luna: I heard her scratching the outside glass just now." And she forced herself to walk, not run, out of the room.

It was only much later that she remembered she'd left the blankets still unfolded on the tatami, and that Mamoru had never answered her question.

* * *

Hino-san - he still thought of her by that name, no matter what he implied to Usagi - was a very pretty girl. He'd noticed her the very first day she sat down in his class. She was tall, almost his height if she wore high heels, and slender as a young willow. Her long blue-black hair swept nearly to her waist and she always asked insightful questions. Two spots of color appeared on her cheeks whenever she spoke to him. Mamoru noticed all this: he wasn't blind, just not interested. 

When he broke Taku's nose and at the same time accidentally put Motoki into the infirmary as well, he finally understood why he wasn't interested in Hino-san. And not just Hino-san, but all the others he'd ever admired only intellectually and never viscerally.

It was because of Usagi. His sister.

Usa, he thought over and over again, as he walked to pick her up from school that day, Usa, Usa. He was in a daze of denial, of self-disgust. Her name he kept repeating in his mind, as though a mantra against all the suspicions, the sudden clarity of the nature of his feelings for her.

Usa, Usa, Usa, oh please, forgive me, Usa...

" 'niichan," Usagi stared at him that day when he met her at the gates of Furikan High. She raised a hand to feel his forehead: His skin burned where she touched him, like a breath upon smoldering embers. "Are you getting sick?" she frowned in concern.

I've been sick for years! he wanted to shout, Sickness to want you like this. What will you do, if you only _knew_? But you won't know, and I will never tell. Don't trust me so much, Usa, I don't deserve it.

"I'm alright," he lied readily with a smile, ducking away from her touch, and when she noticed with alarm the bandages on his hand, he continued, "The Kendo class was practicing jujitsu today."

Usagi had no reason not to believe him, but he caught her glancing uneasily at him every now and then as they walked home that afternoon. He used his bandaged hands as an excuse not to hold hands with her as they normally did.

It was amazingly simple to ask Hino-san out for a cup of coffee and then accept her request for a private tutoring that he'd once refused because it would take him away from home, and thus Usagi, too late in the evening. From there it was even simpler to ask Hino-san out for another cup of coffee, maybe some lunch, and a movie perhaps? Hino-san was delighted. Mamoru had to remember to call her Rei when he spoke to her now.

"Mamoru," Hino was speaking to him now, smiling at him from across the coffee table in her spacious living room, a plate of Danish pastries untouched before her, "are you free this weekend? I have some tickets to a Kaioh violin concerto this Saturday."

Mamoru laid down his coffee cup in surprise. "Michiri Kaioh? I thought that was sold out months before."

Hino blushed a little. "I asked a friend of mine. Of course," she added belatedly, "please ask your sister to come as well."

"Thank you. I...I will ask her."

She smiled and moved the conversation to more academic subjects.

* * *

"Does he look like he's interested in her?" 

"Motoki!" Reika stopped kissing him.

"What? I'm sorry, but I concerned about him! Does he? What do you think?"

"I think," Reika began carefully, "that you are out of your mind." She pushed away from his arms and glared at him. "Either that or you're harboring an unrequited passion for Hino-san."

"But I'm just concerned," Motoki protested, reaching back for her.

"Well," Reika smiled, leaning back into his arms, "the way I see it, Chiba-san has a beautiful girlfriend who obviously adores him, and you have a beautiful girlfriend," her hands trailed down his chest, "who will quickly becoming less adoring if you don't quit this nonsense now." Motoki shut up quickly then. Much later, Reika said to him quietly. "Don't worry so much, Motoki. Mamoru's an adult and I'm sure he knows how to take care of himself."

Motoki did not tell her he did not share her confidence.

Despite Reika's teasing remark, Motoki knew he did not really envy his friend. Mamoru's new girlfriend Hino-san was very beautiful, that was undeniable, and quite rich as well, that was also undeniable, but the more Motoki thought of her, the more disturbed he became for Mamoru's state of mind. For Hino-san was almost the exact opposite of Usagi: Mamoru couldn't have chosen a better antithesis if he tried. It was as if he was shouting a denial of all Taku had ever insinuated and he himself had ever thought, and, what was worse, Motoki suspected that his friend was not even conscious of it. Motoki knew that nothing had been resolved.

He wondered if Hino-san knew what she was getting into.

End **Sister Moon, Brother Earth** - _Part 4_

* * *

_Author's Notes:_

I actually wrote this section during this summer, at the same time as Part 3 and Interlude 1. I didn't immediately post it because at the time there seemed to be something lacking, something elusive but integral to the story I wanted to tell. However, just tonight, after realizing how many months had gone without me updating this series, I realized that if I had to wait for that elusive something, this series might just never see the light of day again. So, in order to post Part 4 today, I had to revise how I planned to introduce the character of Rei Hino. Initially the girlfriend was supposed to be an originally created character, one that can be easily discarded once her function is fullfilled. Alas, that was not to be.

There's some changes in this Rei's life history, which is why she's not currently living with her grandfather. And yes, I am following her more serene manga character as opposed to the anime. And Rei's decision to be with Mamoru is not exactly as it seems...


End file.
